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Chapter 2 Social Life (2)
George Washington was a leader long before he became our first president. In 1755, at the age of 23, Washington led the Virginian forces to victory in the French and Indian War. However, Washington and the other colonists soon grew tired of British rule. By 1775, Washington became the commander of the Continental Army. His army defeated the British in 1783. George Washington also helped write our new Constitution, making sure the states had a strong role in the government. By 1789, Washington was the most popular man in the United States. He was also tired after serving our country for many years. Still, he knew a new nation needed strong leadership. When George Washington agreed to run for president, everyone voted for him. Washington served two terms as president of the United States. He died two years after his retirement, at his farm in Virginia.
John Adams began his long career as a lawyer in the colony of Massachusetts. A fiery speaker, Adams strongly opposed the unfair taxes that Britain forced on the colonists. He also tried to convince Britain to give the colonies more freedom. Instead, Adams asked George Washington to organize the Continental Army to fight the British. In 1776, Adams helped write the Declaration of Independence. In 1783, he helped write the Treaty of Paris. This treaty ended the Revolutionary War and created the United States. When Washington became president of the United States in 1789, Adams became the first vice president. However, Adams was not pleased with the office or the appointment. He called the vice presidency “the most insignificant office” ever created. He was elected president in 1797. During his service to his country, John Adams' wife Abigail gave birth to a son. John Quincy. Abigail was not only a president's wife but became the mother of a future president.
Thomas Jefferson led the colonies' fight for freedom, but he was not a soldier. Jefferson was the main author of the two documents that helped form our nation—the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Jefferson strongly believed that the states should have a strong role in the new government of the United States. The main political party at that time, the Federalists, disagreed. So Jefferson formed a new political party, the Democratic-Republicans. Before becoming president, Jefferson was the US ambassador to France. As president, he bought the Louisiana Territory for S15 million, doubling the size of the United States. He then sent the explorers, Lewis and Clark, to explore this large unknown area. Jefferson was a politician, an educator, an architect, an inventor , a pioneer in scientific farming, a musician and a writer. Before and after becoming president, Jefferson contributed to the new nation in lasting ways.
Abraham Lincoln is remembered as the greatest president of the United States. As a young man, Lincoln worked in many different jobs, including cutting wood and serving in the military. Even before he became president, Lincoln knew that the country must stay united to become a powerful nation. However, Lincoln's ideas were not shared and he was not a popular candidate. The South viewed Lincoln as an enemy who did not care about their issues. Despite these problems, Lincoln was elected president. Shortly after his inauguration in 1861, the Civil War began. Lincoln guided the country through the Civil War. His Gettysburg Address inspired the weary North to continue fighting for freedom. He also declared freedom for the slaves in the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln lived to see the end of the Civil War with General Robert E. Lee's surrender in 1865. However, Lincoln was assassinated 5 days later at a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC
Vocabulary
retirement [ri"tai?m?nt] n. Retirement, resignation, retirement

convince [k? n"vins] vt. Make believe, make understand
insignificant ["? nsiɡ" nifik? nt] adj. worthless, meaningless, useless
ambassador [? m"b? s? d?] n. ambassador, envoy

architect ["ɑ: kitekt] n. architect, designer
Military ["milit? ri] adj. Military, military, military;

n. soldier, armed force

Candidate ["k? ndidit] n. Apply for job seekers, candidates, candidates

inauguration [i"n?: ɡju"rei? ? n] n. inauguration ceremony, opening ceremony
surrender [s? "rend?] vt. & vi. surrender;

vt. to give up, abandon;
n. to surrender, to surrender

assassinate [? "s? sineit] vt. Assassination, assassination

Practice
Answer each of the following questions.
1. Adams was George Washington's president.

2. Adams helped write the Treaty of which ended the Revolutionary War.

3. Adams' wife was named ．

4. They had a who was also elected president.

5. Jefferson was the ambassador to ．

6. Jefferson sent and to explore the unknown territory.

7. Jefferson helped write the Bill of .

8. is the famous statement of Lincoln's.

9. Surrendered and ended the Civil War?

Translation
George Washington was a leader before he became our first president. In 1755, at the age of 23, Washington led the Virginia Army to victory in the French and Indian War.Still, Washington and the other colonists soon grew weary of British rule.At the end of 1755, Washington became the commander of the Continental Army, whose army defeated the British army in 1783.George Washington also took part in the drafting of the new constitution, ensuring that the states had an important role in government.By 1789, Washington was the most popular man in America.Washington, too, was tired after years of devotion to America.He still believes that what a nation needs is a strong leadership.When George Washington promised to run for president, everyone voted for him, and he served two terms as president of the United States.He died on his farm in Virginia two years after he left office.

John Adams began his long career as a lawyer in colonial Massachusetts.Adams, an impassioned speaker, strongly opposed the unfair taxes imposed on the colonies by the British government.He tried unsuccessfully to persuade the British government to give the colonists more freedom.Adams turned to George Washington with the idea of ​​forming a Continental Army to fight the British.In 1776, Adams participated in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. In 1783, he participated in the drafting of the Treaty of Paris.The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolutionary War and established the United States of America.When Washington became president of the United States in 1789, Adams became the first vice president.Still, Adams was not content with his position or his appointment, viewing the vice presidency as "the most irrelevant position."In 1797, Adams was elected president.During his tenure, John Adams' wife Abigail gave birth to a son named John Quincy.Abigail is not only the wife of the president, but also the mother of the future president.

Although Thomas Jefferson led the colonial wars for freedom, he was not a soldier.Jefferson was the primary author of two documents that helped us form our nation—the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.Jefferson's insistence that each state should play an important role in the new U.S. government was not supported by the Federalist Party, the main political party at the time.So, Jefferson formed a new party, the Democratic-Republican Party.Before becoming president, Jefferson was the U.S. ambassador to France.After becoming president, he bought the state of Louisiana for $1.5 million, doubling the size of the United States.He then sent explorers Lewis and Clark to develop the land.Jefferson was a statesman, educator, architect, inventor, pioneer of scientific agriculture, musician, and writer.Before and after becoming president, Jefferson contributed to his new nation in a lasting way.

Abraham Lincoln is considered the greatest president in American history.Lincoln worked many jobs as a young man, including carpentry and serving in the military.Even before he became president, Lincoln believed that the United States should be united to be strong.Still, Lincoln's views were not shared, and he was not a popular candidate.Southern planters saw Lincoln as an enemy, believing that he had no regard for their interests.Despite all these problems, Lincoln was elected president.Shortly after his inauguration in 1861, the Civil War broke out.Lincoln led the nation through the Civil War, and his speeches at Gettysburg inspired the weary people of the North to fight for freedom.He also made slaves free in the Emancipation Proclamation.Lincoln lived to see the end of the Civil War with the surrender of Rebel commander Robert Lee in 1865.But five days after the Confederates surrendered, Lincoln was assassinated while watching a performance of "American Cousin" at Ford's Theater in Washington.

Exercise
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

1.Adams was George Washington's president.

2.Adams was one of the authors of the treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War.

3.Adams' wife was named.

4.They have a president.

5.Jefferson was the ambassador to China.

6.Jefferson sent and to develop new territories.

7.Jefferson was one of the drafters of the bill.

8.Lincoln's most famous view is.

9.The surrender ended the Civil War.

1．vice　2．Paris　3．Abigail　4．son　5．France
6. Lewis, Clark7. Rights
(End of this chapter)